


And Eve Was Weak

by roundthecherrytree



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Carrie - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, harlivy Carrie au that no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:22:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24415837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roundthecherrytree/pseuds/roundthecherrytree
Summary: Funnily enough this was actually exactly how Pamela imagined her day going, hell she dared to think even her mother would crack a smile at her misfortune.
Relationships: Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 30
Kudos: 96





	1. It Started With a Dodge Ball Game

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Carrie the Musical
> 
> I think I’m gonna try and update every Wednesday

Funnily enough this was actually exactly how Pamela imagined her day going, hell she dared to think even her mother would crack a smile at her misfortune. On top of Kate Kane having the nerve to attempt to shove her into one of the school's over sized lockers this morning, she now had to deal with getting absolutely demolished in dodge ball by the people who made her life unnecessarily difficult. What had she ever even done to them? Pamela knew she didn't deserve this, but she couldn't afford to pity herself right now when Selina Kyle was looking at her like she was ready to put Pamela into an early grave with a single dodge ball. Bruce Wayne was standing behind her ready to line up another shot at Pamela, should Selina happen to miss, and Harley Quinzel was standing off to the side after being eliminated by Nigma, looking at Pam like even she wasn't sure about what was about to happen. Pamela had no ball, no means of escape, and certainly no hand-eye coordination. 

And then her saving grace echoed through the halls: the bell. Mrs. Montoya blew her whistle and called out for the class to go shower and change, of course that had never stopped Selina and her cronies, so when Pamela made the mistake of turning her back to them, Selina hurled the ball and managed to catch Pamela on the side of her face. Oh mother was so not going to be happy about that bruise, and if father ever came out of his office he might say something too. While Pamela walked away cradling her face she could swear she heard Mrs. Montoya yell at Selina, as if that would teach her a lesson, Pamela scoffed at the very idea. Despite her mother's reservations about it, Pamela knew that she couldn't spend the next five periods of her day as sweaty as she was, her stare off with Selina had made her nervous more than he would like to admit. She rushed to the showers knowing that if Selina or Harley caught word of her showering, nothing good would come from it. Although Pamela was extremely uncomfortable showering in the public stalls like this, she couldn't help but feel a little soothed at the water running over her, until she noticed the blood. 

Where was it coming from? Why did it seem like the blood was coming from down there? Was she dying? 

These questions swirled around in Pamela's head until she couldn't contain the panic she was feeling. She wrapped a towel around herself and tried to find anyone who could help her, luckily enough she caught someone's attention quickly, unluckily enough Pamela could see her red and blue dyed pigtails from behind. Before Pamela could find anyone else, Harley turned around to see what the commotion was and promptly choked on the water she had been drinking. "Harley you're the last person I want to talk to, but I don't know what's going on and-" Harley interrupted Pam's panicked rambling. "Pam I know were not on the best of terms right now, but you need to get out of here as fast as possible." Harley even looked worried for her, which scared Pamela even more. Pamela understood what was happening a little too late. 

"So, Pamela finally decided to stoop down to our level and take a shower at school? What would mommy say?" Selina spoke as she emerged from Mrs. Montoya's locker room office, but her smug look turned to shock as she noticed the blood dripping down Pamela's leg, and then morphed into something devious. As more girls from the locker room started to gather at the commotion Selina switched her tactics, "God Pamela that's so gross, why don't you plug it up?" "Please I need help" Pamela begged. That caused of few of the girls in the gathering group to giggle. "Oh you poor girl," Selina had the nerve to pretend to be concerned, "here let us help you."

That's when the first tampon hit her, and then they all began throwing tampons at her and screaming some variation of "plug it up!" From where Pam was, now on the floor being kicked and screamed at, she thought she could see Harley look like she was going to be sick. As the girls started to become more chaotic Pamela felt a tug in her gut, one of them let out yelp and upon closer examination she found she had a thorn in her arm. That's when Mrs. Montoya burst into the locker room yelling about the commotion, and all the girls scattered. Mrs. Montoya took one look at Pamela's panicked face and understood, "Ms. Isley please step into my office." And as Mrs. Montoya turned to go she thought to herself that her rose seemed a little more lively than usual.


	2. Save Yourself From Burning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning for abuse from a parent

“Again Pamela I’m really sorry about this.” And if Pamela had any doubts, Mrs. Motoya pulled her in for a hug, which Pamela had to admit – felt kind of nice. “You’re dismissed from school for the rest of the day, and take a study hall instead of coming to gym for the next week.” Pamela knew better than to argue, but the thought of going home early made her blood run cold. Instead, she bit the inside of her cheek and said, “Yes Mrs. Montoya.”

Pamela could have kicked herself over how stupid she had been. How could she possibly think that she could slip out of school unnoticed? No, instead of the peaceful walk home she had hoped for, she was greeted by four boys outside the school: two of them tossing around a football, one leaning against a huge oak tree, and one with green hair skateboarding on the sidewalk. 

Pamela tried to keep her head down and make it past them, but – of course- she had no such luck.

“Hey, where you going Pammy?” The skateboarder’s intense smile gave her the creeps; he skated closer. “You know, I bet under all those cardigans and frilly blouses you could be really fucking hot.” Pamela felt such an intense panic as he glided closer that she thought she was going to pass out. Until he suddenly face panted onto the sidewalk as he rolled over one of the knarled tree roots that had grown and cracked the sidewalk.

Pamela never thought she would thank God for Bruce Wayne, but as the skateboarder picked himself up – his expression positively murderous, Bruce came and stood in front of her. “Hey Jack how about we lay off her, come on Nigma’s been getting too big for his britches.” And just like that, with one last glare at Pamela, Jack and his friends were gone. “Look I know we’ve always been hard on you, but I plan to make it up to you from now on,” and with that Bruce marched determinedly back into the school.

\-----------------------------

Pamela only wished Bruce would save her now. She stood outside her own house, preparing herself for whatever faced her when she opened the door, how pathetic was she. She walked in and caught sight of Lillian sitting at the kitchen table on her laptop. “You’re home early.” To anyone else it would sound like just an observation, but Pamela knew better, she could hear the accusation underneath. But her mother said nothing else, and that scared Pamela even worse. “Well since you’re here set up a plate, you can eat lunch with me.” Pamela scrambled to do so. It wasn’t an invitation, it was an order. “Now Pam, why don’t you tell me why you’re home so early.”

“Mother the kids did something horrible to me today,” Pamela hesitantly started. Lillian interrupted, “Suffering is good for the soul Pamela. It’s one of God’s many tests.”

“Yes but mother when I was showering today - ” Pamela knew she had said too much. “What did I tell you about showering with the other girls.”

“I know mother, but they all started to laugh at me - ”

“What. Did. I. Tell. You. Pamela,” Lillian pushed out through gritted teeth.

“It’s a sin mother, please I started to bleed, why didn’t you tell me?”

Lillian’s face paled, and for a second Pamela thought she saw worry in her eyes, but it was replaced just a quickly with red hot anger. “You wicked girl! I did everything I could to protect you, but now God has seen your sinning, and you must repent.” Lillian stood up.

“Mother please - ” Pamela begged, but she already knew what was coming, “Mrs. Montoya said it’s something all girls go through.”

Lillian lunged for her, Pamela did nothing but cower in fear until her mother grabbed her by the hair. She dragged Pamela, kicking and screaming, to the closet, grabbing her Bible along the way. She threw Pamela in along with the Bible, and Pamela grit her teeth to stop herself from crying out in pain when her shoulder connected with the shelf behind her.

“Bow your head and pray women.”

And with that Pamela was left alone, crying and waiting for the walls to close in and suffocate her already.

\----------------------------- 

Harley and Bruce knew this was it. After he had heard Harley recount what happened in the locker room through her tears, Bruce knew he needed to find Pamela. He did find her, surrounded by Jack Napier and his weird friends, but wasn’t able to speak to her for long before his anger boiled over into cold determination. He had let this go on too long, and he knew Harley was on his side after she spent the next couple periods in the nurse sick to her stomach with worry for Pamela. He needed to find Selina _now_.


	3. The Raven Came to Plague the World, It's Name was Sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter I promise we'll finally start getting some more interaction between Pam and Harley. Love you all! Sorry this was a day late :(

Bruce knew he should feel bad for the way people scrambled to get out of his way as he made his way through the school - after all, it was because they were scared of him - but he was on his way to taking the first step toward fixing that right now. He marched through the halls of the school, searching Selina’s favorite places to hang out as he went.

He found her after a full half an hour of searching, and although he was sure this was what needed to happen, his anger had cooled significantly over that time, so he took a couple moments to let the gravity of what he and Harley were going to do sink in. They would no longer be untouchable, their flaws would be fair game for anyone to make fun of – which Bruce didn’t doubt people would come for them, especially after how they had treated the rest of their senior class – but the fear in Pamela’s eyes when Jack had skated closer and Harley’s tears gave him the strength to push on.

Normally looking at Selina smoking under the bleachers Bruce would’ve thought she looked cool, like a lone wolf waiting for its next victim, but now he thought Selina was a sad sight. Bruce knew she would have no one after this; a fallen monarch with no one left to do her bidding, overthrown by her own court, exiled by the people.

“Selina we need to talk.”

“Why so serious Bruce? Come on sit down. Have a smoke” Selina hummed out. Bruce couldn’t stand when Selina dismissed his feelings like this. “I’m not going to sit down Selina. I’m sick of the way you toy with people for your own enjoyment, the way you break other people down to build yourself up, and your smoking habit disgusts me – you know Harley has asthma and yet you continue to basically blow it in her face whenever you feel like it. We’re over; I don’t want to be friends either.”

“I assume from the way you brought her into this that Harley’s making her great escape too?”

Bruce could see her face pale even in the dim light; she was losing control over her two most loyal knights, but to Selina they were probably more like court jesters, the thought made Bruce clench his jaw. “Yeah she’s had enough too.”

Anger blazed in Selina’s eyes now, “Fine, you know what I never needed either of you. I don’t need anyone” Selina choked out. “Let Harley know that she’s a fucking whor-” Selina was interrupted by an announcement over the loudspeakers. “Would Selina Kyle please report to the main office please?”

\----------------------

There was no fucking way that just happened, Selina thought as she stomped towards the main office. She went to angrily sit down in one of the waiting chairs when the secretary came out and said, “There’s no need to sit Ms. Kyle, he’s already waiting for you.” Now _that_ got Selina’s attention, normally she had to wait at least fifteen minutes before she could go in, this couldn’t mean anything good.

Her walk from the waiting room to the office filled her with something she never experienced in depth until now: fear. Her legs trembled harder the closer she got. “Ms. Kyle, please step into my office. Would you kindly shut the door?”

Mr. Crane, even Selina would admit, was fucking terrifying. He always somehow knew the truth, but up until this point Selina had her daddy’s wealth and power to hide behind, the look in Mr. Crane’s eyes now told her that it wouldn’t be so simple this time.

\----------------------

Selina left the office even angrier than she was before, not only had her two most loyal _idiots_ finally gained some brain cells and spines and _left_ her, but now she was banned from prom, her final way to tell her classmates I will always be better and prettier than you. It was all because of fucking _Pamela_ of all people.

Selina was so caught up in her own head that she almost didn’t notice the boy with greasy green hair and beady eyes leaning casually against the wall outside of the office.

“Hey there Kitty!” He let out a small laugh, clearly thinking his nickname was so clever. “What’s got your panties in a twist? Is it that your boyfriend broke up with you or maybe it’s that little Pamela finally got justice after all this time?”

His laughter had escalated into full blown hysterics at this point. “I don’t know how you know all of that already, but just because it did doesn’t mean I’m going to start hanging around with freaks like you” Selina spat out.

“Not so fast Kitty. You want revenge on Pamela and I want something from her too! I think we could help each other _if_ you play nice.”

“Say I was open to whatever you’re planning, what could you possibly want from Pamela?”

“Why it’s quite simple really my dear, I want Harley.”


	4. An Eagles Just Another Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem in this comes from "Dreamer in Disguise" from Carrie the musical. We’re finally getting Pam and Harley feelings, everyone stay CALM

When Pamela was finally let out, she bolted straight for one of the places she felt safest: her room. There were not a lot of things Pamela’s mother allowed her to have, like magazines or posters, but one thing she knew mother had no problem with was plants.

One of the lilac walls was covered in vines from a Pothos plant she had been growing, several plants hung from the ceiling around the room, and near the window was Pamela’s newest: a small pot of violets that wasn’t doing too well at the shop she picked it up from. She was furious – how could a flower shop not know how to care for their flowers properly? It was like an animal shelter deciding to home a vicious dog they’re not equipped for; if you don’t know how to care for it properly then find someone who does.

Pamela thought she could see a little of herself in the withered, hunched-over violets: they did nothing to deserve the way they were treated, they just happened to be in the wrong place. She knew it wasn’t exactly normal to relate to a plant, but she refused to be ashamed of something she cared so much about. Sitting in the window, Pamela thought about the events of the day while absentmindedly playing with the petals of the violets. How could she go back to school tomorrow knowing the bullying would be worse than ever now that there would be repercussions for Selina? Why did mother treat her like this if she loved her? Why did her shoulder have to hurt so _fucking_ much?

Why did Harley try to warn her?

Thinking of Harley made her chest tighten. Not only did Harley try to warn her, but she looked _guilty_ about what was happening. Pamela was not stupid; she knew Harley was slowly changing her mind about her, but _why_? Pamela hadn’t acted any different than she normally would have with Harley recently, she kept everyone at arm’s length because they all wanted to hurt her or use her for their stupid games, but Harley had looked so scared for her. Maybe she cared for Pamela more than she let on, and that thought made Pamela feel ecstatic, the joy rushed through her body until she pushed the feeling back down. She didn’t need anyone – not a friend and certainly not Harley, but then why did the thought make her feel so _light_?

Before she could think on about it any further Pamela realized the leaf she was touching no longer felt as brittle, and sure enough, when she looked down, she was met with a healthy group of violets. Their petals were a vibrant shade of purple and their stems looked strong – Pamela would have thought it was a different plant had she not kept her hand on it the whole time

“What the - ” Pamela muttered to herself, and then it hit her, she kept her hand on it the _whole time_. The rose in Mrs. Montoya’s room. The tree root Jack tripped over. _She_ did this, and it happened because she was thinking about – oh god.

\-------------------

The day after the locker room Harley was still conflicted: she felt so guilty for not helping Pamela, but now she was planning on making it up to her. Thanks to Bruce, they were free from Selina. Harley could stop skipping gymnastics practice because Selina wanted to go shopping, she could stop dumbing herself own and fix her grades and become a psychiatrist, she could talk to anyone she wanted – including Pam – the thought made her feel giddy. Okay so maybe she wanted to be friends with Pam a little _too_ much, which was clear to her after she saw Pam in a towel the in locker room and choked on her water, but she was _not_ ready to admit that to anyone but herself yet.

But making her way to English the next morning, Harley felt sick. She and Bruce had moved their seats away from Selina, claiming issues with seeing the board, and Mrs. Gordon had been kind enough not to push what she knew was a lie. But she shuffled in to the room, sat down, and the world didn’t end which was nice. Bruce gave her a reassuring smile and her new seat left Pamela right in her sight line, so what did she have to nervous about?

“Okay class my feelings on your poetry assignment aren’t overwhelmingly positive,” Mrs. Gordon said. “But I would like to highlight one piece of work that I thought was exceptionally insightful, Ms. Quinzel would you please stand up?”

Oh so _that’s_ what Harley had to be nervous about.

As Harley read, her eyes drifted anywhere but what she knew were judgmental glares from her classmates _especially_ Selina.

“And because I shine in silent ways I’m someone you won’t recognize. I’m a diamond in the rough, a dreamer in disguise,” Harley finished and practically threw herself back down in her seat.

“I thought it was wonderful,” Mrs. Gordon praised. “Does anyone have anything to say?”

Harley shut her eyes and prayed Selina would keep her mouth shut.

“Oh yes please stand and share with the class,” Mrs. Gordon said.

Oh _no_

“I thought it was beautiful.” Harley’s eyes flew open and instead of Selina, she found Pamela looking right at her. Huh maybe Pamela didn’t hate her after all.


	5. Red

Having Pam’s attention on her like that made Harley want to explode with feelings (she couldn’t tell if it was butterflies or guilt), so despite her reservations about it, she was going to talk to Bruce to decide what to do next. She decided to start with the latter. Packing up her stuff as quickly as she could after the bell rang, Harley ran to catch up with Bruce. Why he was so excited to get to his biology class when they were learning about bats of all things she’ll never know. What a fuckin nerd.

“Bruce jesus wait up,” Harley huffed out. “Harleen you’re a gymnast, I know you’re not tired from quickly walking _maybe_ 20 feet,” Bruce deadpanned.

Okay so maybe Harley hammed it up a bit to make him feel guilty for leaving her in the dust. Sue her.

“Okay I think I have an idea of how to start making things up to Pam, but I’m gonna need your help. Would you be willing to… oh I don’t know… maybe _takepamtopromasyourdate,_ ” Harley rushed out.

“Maybe I would’ve considered that proposal if I didn’t already know that _you_ wanted to take Pam as your date.”

Harley tried to stutter out something – _anything_ – to refute what Bruce was saying.

“Oh honey, that eye contact in English had so much sexual tension that I _felt_ the room get ten degrees hotter.”

“Bruce oh my god we do not have sexual tension,” Harley said giving him a shove.

“But am I wrong about the date thing?”

Harley’s silence answered the question more than any verbal confirmation ever could, and Bruce grinned.

What a smug asshole, a caring, understanding, smug asshole.

\---------------------------

It took Harley several days to figure out how best to approach Pam, until she realized that there _was_ no best time to start making up with a girl she helped bully for years, and she was Harleen _fucking_ Quinzel.

Harley approached her in the library during their shared lunch period. Pam was sitting alone at a table with several pages of highlighted notes and a book titled _The Anatomy of Houseplants_ , which she was reading very intently. Her hair was pulled back and looked like fire thanks to the sunlight that streamed in through the window behind her; she took Harley’s breath away.

“Hey” she greeted as she tentatively walked to the table, “is this seat taken?” Harley thought her smile was friendly enough to let Pamela know that she wasn’t here to hurt her – she was wrong.

“You know it’s not,” Pam said.

It was a simple statement of a fact that _both_ of them knew, but to Harley it felt like an accusation, it _was_ her fault after all. Harley said nothing and took a seat while Pamela eyed her warily.

“Look whatever you’re here to make fun of me for if I wanted to hear it I’d sit in the lunch room.”

“I came to talk not to like crucify you or whatever,” Harley chuckled, and then she remembered that Pam was religious and scrambled to apologize, but before she could Pam let out a snort of laughter.

“You really don’t have any kind of filter do you?”

“It was the bane of my mom’s existence when I was a child. Anyway, I don’t expect forgiveness, but I’d really like it if we could get to know each other more,” Harley asked hopefully.

The thought of little Harley running around spouting whatever came to her mind with her exasperated mother trailing behind her made Pamela far softer than she would ever admit out loud, but she couldn’t just forgive Harley like that could she? She didn’t need anyone, but it would be nice not to feel isolated for a change. If she was going to give her a chance, Harley had to put something on the line.

“I’ll make you a deal; you’re real _brave_ for talking to me in the hidden corner of the library, but sitting with me for a week in the cafeteria will really show how much you want my forgiveness.”

“I like a challenge Red. It’s a deal.”

The nickname didn’t go unnoticed by Pamela.

\----------------------

“So you didn’t ask her to prom?” Bruce sighed.

“I didn’t want to scare her off! This is a delicate relationship right now; she was ready to bite my head off for just sitting _near_ her.”

“I hope you know what you’ve gotten yourself into Harley, there’s a reason Pam avoids the cafeteria.”


	6. Lunch Dates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all we're finally getting to the fluff!!!

To Pam’s surprise she and Harley were able to sit in the cafeteria without any issues on Monday and Tuesday, which was probably because people thought Harley was still friends with Selina. They got on surprisingly well, especially considering Pamela’s lack of social skills, but Harley was prepared for this and took control of their earlier conversations, which Pamela was grateful for.

Harley talked to Pam about anything and everything she could think of, and privately burst with excitement whenever she would manage to get Pamela talking passionately about things like books and sewing – she was impressed to learn that Pamela was capable of making her own clothes. She veered away from things like makeup and music after Pam quickly shut her down as she sheepishly explained that she didn’t like discussing things she didn’t know anything about, which confirmed some of Harley’s suspicions about her home life. She figured Pam’s household was strict after seeing things like how tightly Lillian would hold her arm to keep her close during parent teacher night, keeping her from freely conversing with other kids while she was busy, or how Pamela was forbidden from joining any sports or clubs.

But Harley’s favorite part of sitting with Pam by far was continuing to come up with nicknames for Pam just to see how flushed her face would get as she would pretend to hate them. So far “Pam-a-lamb” had made Pam blush as red as her hair and her eyes sparkle with amusement, it gave Harley butterflies.

She found out on Tuesday that Pam’s favorite topic of discussion _by far_ was plants, and that the girl would regularly go to the flower shop that was on the way home from her house and pick out the most pathetic looking plant to buy and nurse back to health. She couldn’t believe that she used to think Pam couldn’t possibly have feelings, she was a side character in her and Selina’s stories, and yet sweet Pamela was willing to forgive her.

\-----------------

Pamela was almost disappointed in herself. She was willing to forgive Harley, but when she originally asked her to eat in the cafeteria with her she might’ve hoped a little that _something_ bad would happen. She was only human and thought that Harley getting a taste of what she had to suffer through would teach her a lesson, but by the end of lunch on Monday Pam had squashed that petty feeling – no one deserved to go through what she did and Harley was sincerely trying.

Pam found out that Harley was the captain of the school’s gymnastic team and that all her free periods as a senior were full because she tried to take any classes that would be useful for her chosen career path: psychology. Pamela didn’t know how to feel about that because although Harley was in her English class she was almost positive that Harley was not doing well in most subjects, but Harley must’ve seen the doubt in Pam’s eyes and began to hesitantly explain that she would play dumb when she was friends with Selina, and by mid-lunch on Tuesday Pamela saw how wrong she was and that Harley was equipped to have thoughtful discussions on most things Pam wanted to talk about.

By the end of lunch on Tuesday Pam could definitely see Harley as a psychiatrist and let her know as much before they separated after lunch, and the joy on Harley’s face made Pamela smile for the rest of the day

\------------------------

Lunch on Wednesday was where it all went wrong. It started out great, Harley had stopped by the flower shop and found the most pathetic looking venus-flytrap she had ever seen and brought it to Pam at lunch. Pamela had always been a little weirded out by a plant being a carnivore, but it looked so sad that she knew she would have to get over it. The thoughtfulness of the gift was not lost on Pamela though. She wasn’t all that used to physical affection, but she had come to learn that Harley loved it, so she stood up from her seat, pulled Harley up with her, and wrapped her arms around Harley’s shoulders.

Harley thought she would explode with feelings as she wrapped her arms around Pam’s waist and rested her head on her shoulder.

“Oh look the pile of reject toys made up.” The comment was followed by far more laughter than it warranted.

Harley never thought she had seen Pam move so fast. In the span of two seconds after Selina and Jack showed up she had separated herself from Harley and darted back to her seat, which left Harley standing there looking at Selina across the table. Harley could feel the nervousness radiating off of Pam in waves as Selina strutted up and leaned over the table to get in Harley’s face.

Harley needed them gone _now._ She was angry, so unbelievably pissed, that her first big step in her progress with Pam had been cut short and that Selina was making Pam more and more uncomfortable the longer she stood there.

“You’re just pissed that you’re a has been who can no longer establish dominance through control over others, which is the only way you know how to form relationships as a result of your emotionally unavailable parents,” Harley spit out.

“You’re fucking dead Quinzel. Do you understand me?” The threat was punctuated with Selina grabbing yogurt from Jack’s tray and dumping it over her head before returning her arms to the table to get back into Harley’s space. Before anymore words could be exchanged Selina let out a short scream as the venus-flytrap on the table next to her arm decides to take a bite.

Pam grabs the plant and Harley by the hand and drags her out of the cafeteria.


	7. The Curse of Blood

They hid in the bathroom for the rest of lunch. Harley wasn’t nearly as upset as Pam thought she would be. “I mean I can’t say I didn’t expect it after you asked me to sit in the cafeteria with you, but I think lunch with you was worth getting a little yogurt in my hair,” Harley smiled.

“You didn’t have to psychoanalyze her like that either, but I’ll give it to you it was impressive.”

Pamela moved to where Harley was sitting in the bathroom windowsill holding a paper towel, and put her hand on Harley’s shoulder to steady herself while she started to wipe away some of the mess. The position made Harley exceptionally flustered – Pam was so close and her eyes were so green, and although Pam wasn’t looking right at her, the proximity was still enough to make Harley’s heart race. Her eyes darted rapidly around the bathroom, trying to look anywhere but Pam’s face.

Pam’s hand moved from her shoulder to her cheek to keep her in place; Harley didn’t think her face could get anymore red.

“Can you stop fidgeting so I can actually do a good job cleaning your hair.” Pam said sternly, and then a little softer “Harls I really don’t think anything having to do with me is worth getting fermented milk dumped on your head.”

“Then you’re wrong.”

And just like that the air between them became a little heavier, and Pam seemed to finally realize how close she and Harley were.

All of the things mother had drilled into her head about deviants who loved the same gender flashed behind her eyes as she looked at Harley, and she felt like she was drowning. Pam was suffocating and she needed air right now, so she shoved the paper towel into Harley’s hand and briskly walked out of the bathroom.

\---------------------------------------

“And she just bolted out of the bathroom?” Bruce scoffed.

“Bruce you don’t understand she didn’t do it to hurt my feelings, she looked terrified of me.” Harley insisted.

“If that’s the case then maybe we should give her some space for now Harley. She’s probably just got to figure some stuff out.”

\---------------------------------------

Pam found Bruce on the third day of avoiding Harley.

“I need to talk to you about something important.”

“Not that I’m not flattered Pam, but wouldn’t you rather talk to Harley about it?” Bruce suggested.

“No, it actually might be _about_ her.” Pam choked out.

“Oh, I see. Let’s go sit in the library and have this talk.”

\---------------------------------------

“Jack I know I said I would go along with your plan, but this seems like a little much even for me.” Selina held her nose to try and block out the smell of what Jack was showing her. “C’mon Kitty you thought what happened in the locker room was funny right?” Jack prodded.

“Well yeah but this -”

“And tell me Kitty is this not just what happened in the locker room on a larger scale?” Jack pushed further. “Don’t go soft on me now.”

“How do you even know Pamela’s going to prom in the first place?”

“I happen to read people very well Selina and I know that Harley is going to ask her to come.”

Selina eyes were wide with surprise. “Like as a date?”

“Or as a friend it depends how they handle it, but neither option ruins our plan. Either way Pam gets what’s coming to her, and when Harley finally sees what a loser Pam is she’ll be all mine.”

“It concerns me that you even managed to get a hold of something like that in the first place.” Selina threw over her shoulder as she walked away. She had had enough and needed a break from the smell of Jack’s disgusting bucket.

“Pigs blood isn’t that hard to come by when you know where to look Kitty!” He yelled after her.

\---------------------------------------

“So your mother has told you all your life that homosexuality is wrong?”

“Yes.”

“But from what you’ve told me it sounds like you really like Harley, so I’m going to give you some advice Pam and let you decide what to do for yourself. People can tell you anything they want to about how you should feel – your mother says it’s wrong and I say it’s perfectly okay, but the only person that gets to make the final decision is you Pam.”

“Okay Bruce I think I understand, but can I ask you one more thing?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think she could ever like me back?”

“I think that’s for Harley to decide and you to find out.”


	8. Doesn't Anybody Ever Get It Right

The initial reconciliation was far more awkward than Harley would have liked. Sure, Pam hurt her feelings by running out on her like that, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed the way Pam was sitting uncomfortably in front of her. Pam had avoided her for a week while Harley let her because she knew she was Pam’s first _real_ friend; if Pam needed space she could have it. Now Pam joined her at the lunch table with her shoulders hunched and her bottom lip worried between her teeth.

Pam knew that Harley would be willing to brush over what had happened - her own feelings - in order to make Pamela more comfortable, but Pam couldn’t let that happen. Even she knew, despite her lack of experience, that communication was the key to a healthy relationship – romantic or not. So she may be keeping some details about her very obvious crush from Harley, but Harley was her first _good_ friend – even though she was enjoying Bruce’s company more and more – she couldn’t ruin it with her feelings. Friends was better than nothing.

So Pamela decided to start with the easiest part – the actual apology, “Harley I’m so sorry, I’m sorry that I left you like that after it was my fault that you were in the cafeteria in the first place, and I’m sorry that I stayed away for a week.” Now came the hard part – the explanation, “I’ve just never had anybody be so close to me so easily and it kind’ve freaked me out.” It was a half truth and Pam thought for a second Harley might have been able to tell. Damn her psychiatrist skills.

Instead Harley responded with, “I accept your apology Pam, I know you’re exploring unknown territory most of the time when we hang out. I understand how it can seem overwhelming.” Harley slid her hands halfway across the lunch table, “We’ll introduce you slowly okay?”

Pam slid her hands to meet Harley’s in the middle of the table and tried to pretend like she didn’t feel like all the air had suddenly vanished from the cafeteria.

True to Harley’s word they started slowly. It was a sunny Friday afternoon and Pam agreed to come over to Harley’s house after school, sure Lillian might have a problem if she knew where Pam was, but Lillian wouldn’t be home until later.

“Now I know you’re probably not gonna like this at first because it’s two new things instead of one, but I think you can handle it, right?”

“Okay let’s try it.”

Pam was sat on the floor with her back against the foot of Harley’s bed, Harley sat down in front of her –their knees touching – and spread the makeup out next to her.

“Okay Pam, I’m gonna start with foundation, so I’m not gonna get that close yet.”

Pam nodded her head and Harley got to work.

She was doing exceptionally well if she said so herself – she stayed obediently still while Harley applied things like foundation and blush – but it was the eyeliner where she started having problems. Harley’s hand approached her face so fast without warning that Pam couldn’t tamp down her urge to flinch, and suddenly she saw flashes of nails like talons digging into her wrist, disheveled bible pages, and the closet door slamming shut. What brought her back to the present was a hand being placed atop her own where it rested on the floor.

“Pam-a-lamb, are you alright?”

Pam’s eyes burned but she choked down the urge to cry. “Yeah,” she said more breathily than she would have like, “I just went somewhere else for a second.”

Harley looked skeptical so Pam avoided her eyes, hoping that Harley wouldn’t be able to see the pain swirling in her own.

“Is it alright if I try this again,” Harley said holding the eyeliner up, and then she seemed to debate something with herself for a couple seconds, “and can I ask you a question?”

Pam had a feeling she already knew what the question was, but she nodded her agreement to both questions anyway.

Harley didn’t ask right away though, instead she moved her hands slowly to Pam’s face and started on her left eye, softly cradling Pam’s jaw with her left hand. She had just moved on to the right eye when she asked, “I already know you’re mom’s scary Pam, but she hurts you too doesn’t she?”

Pam didn’t reply verbally, but the sadness that flashed in her eyes and the stiffening of her body told Harley everything she needed to know.

When Harley finished the eyeliner, she was only a little shocked when Pam was the one who initiated a hug - god knows the girl could use a few. And as Pam rested her head on Harley’s shoulder, she decided that maybe if Harley kept holding her together like she was right now, she wouldn’t keep feeling like she was falling apart.

Pamela was a little disconcerted by the fact that, now that she had initiated contact once, she couldn’t stop. She would waltz with Harley to music in her room, she’d hold Harley’s hand for comfort, she would playfully smack Harley on the shoulder when she came up with another dumb (cute) nickname for her. Sometimes, they would have these odd moments where the atmosphere would shift, like it did in the bathroom that day, but Pam found herself wanting to lean further into everything Harley rather than running away. She would even dare to venture sometimes that her feelings were returned, she spoke about the interactions often with Bruce. She divulged about Harley’s hands dipping a little too low on her back when they danced or lingering glances to her lips, but Bruce seemed determined to stay perfectly neutral when she questioned whether or not she should tell.

She was less confused a couple weeks later when her and Harley got on the topic of prom dresses. “You know it’s coming up soon,” Harley had said. Pam grudgingly acknowledged that Harley was right, the weather was slowly becoming warmer and they spent more time laying on the grass in Harley’s backyard. Pam had reluctantly shown Harley some things she could do with plants to which she responded, not with horror like Pam thought, but with, “Ya know I thought that Venus Flytrap biting Selina was too funny to happen on accident.”

Today, Pam was lazily sprawled on her back on the grass, staring up at the clouds while she told Harley that she was planning on making her own prom dress. “I was thinking about something green. You know Harls, I could probably make something for you too, you’ve always looked great in red and black.”

“Pam?”

Pamela looked over at Harley who was resolutely staring at the clouds. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something and now just seems like a really good time.” Harley stopped and cleared her throat, “Would you wanna go to prom with me?”

Pamela moved her gaze back to the sky, “Yeah I thought that we already decided I was coming with you and Bruce? I mean it wouldn’t be any fun to make fun of it without friends. Seriously, “Welcome to the Jungle” who came up with that theme?”

When Pam was met with silence instead of Harley’s laughter, she turned and found the blonde blushing profusely. _That’s weird Harley normally never gets fluster- oh wait._ “That’s not what you meant was it?”

“No Pam.” Harley sat up and looked down at Pam, “I meant do you want to go as dates.”

Pam’s heart stuttered in her chest, she could have everything she wanted if she dared to take it right now. What would mother say? What would the _school_ say? But when Pam looked at Harley, blonde hair shining in the sunlight and blowing softly around her in the breeze, she knew she didn’t care. She leaned up on her elbows and brought her face not even an inch from Harley’s. “We can go as dates if we’re dating.”

“I think you’ve got yourself a deal Red.” Harley closed the gap, grinning like an idiot into the kiss.


	9. Thousands of Voices Forever Repeating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for mentions of parental abuse and violence

“Mother I’m home!” Pam placed her books down on the coffee table, there was no reply. She couldn’t see her mother, but she could smell the pie she was baking from the kitchen.

 _That’s weird mother never bakes._ The closer Pam got to the kitchen the more uneasy she became.

_There’s no way mother could know right? I come straight home from school every day she’s supposed to be home._

Her palms began to sweat as she pushed open the kitchen door, she had gotten herself so worked up that she nearly jumped a foot in the air when her mother spoke before she could fully open the door. “Why don’t you take a seat Pamela?”

_Fuck this was not good._

The sight that greeted her when she fully opened the door made her shake. Her mother at the head of their dining room table, a chair pulled out across from her at the opposite end, and a pieces of cherry pie placed on a plate in front of either of them. Pam sat down heavily in her seat; weighed down by the thousands of sins her mother was sure to place on her shoulders.

“Now why don’t you eat while you tell me where you’ve been going after school some days when I’m not home?”

The room felt unbearably hot now, which made the shiver that went down Pamela’s spine shockingly frightful.

“I come straight home Mother.”

“Funny Pamela,” Lillian punctuated the words with a forceful stab of a fork into her pie, “I thought I taught you better than to lie to me. The neighbors mentioned to me how nice it was that you were getting out of the house more, they told me how happy they were that you and Harley were close.”

Pam couldn’t help but feel so excruciatingly tired. Tired of her mother, tired of everything she does being a sin, tired of the beatings. In a moment of rare defiance she spit out, “You may think you raised me a certain way, but you cannot control everything about me mother.”

Now she could see the barely concealed anger behind her mother’s eyes as she rose and walked to Pam’s side of the table. Pam may have been feeling mentally exhausted, but the sight of her mother approaching flooded her system with adrenaline, so she put it to good use. She rose from her chair and took off like lightning.

_If I can make it to my room I’ll be safe._

Her chest heaved as she sprinted across the first floor of the house and up the stairs. She threw open her bedroom door and backed up, panting, to stand in the center of the room. Lillian followed only seconds behind her, “Now what Pamela? You’ve only delayed the inevitable, and now I think I’ll be a little rougher with you because of it.”

Pamela could feel the rescued plants scattered around her room cry out for her, desperate to keep her safe – awaiting a command.

“I’d like to see you try mother.” A vine slithered over to the door slamming it shut, while another circled Lillian’s ankle. Pam saw red – the red of the blood that ran from her cuts, the red of the marks left by a slap, the red of painted lips that hurled cruel words at her. When the ringing in her ears that accompanied the red subsided, she heard the sound of disgusting ugly sobs and pleading – the pleading of her mother. The red faded.

_I won’t do it. I’m not like her. She’d do it to me, but I won’t do it to her._

A voice that Pam hardly recognized as her own spoke, “I trust we’ll have no further problems?”

A stiff nod.

The jungle that Pam’s room had become retreated – vines unwove and thorny rose bushes receded back to their original positions.

“It’s okay Pam, I’ve got you.”

“You don’t understand,” Pam choked out, “I’m a monster.”

Harley held either side of Pam’s face with her hand and wiped away fresh tears, “Pamela Isley you are not a monster. You stood up to your abuser, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Harls I almost killed her,” Pamela whispered.

“Do you understand that I could kill Bruce at any time, that he could kill me at any time. Just because you’re stronger than the rest of us in a way doesn’t make you a bad person, you just need to learn to control your _new_ powers. What matters is that you were able to look her in the face, a woman who beat you your entire life, and say _I won’t stoop to your level_ makes you a good person Pam. She wasn’t even hurt a little bit.”

“But I thought about it-”

“No one is a saint Pam,” Harley interrupted, “everyone has bad thoughts sometimes – take it from a wannabe psychiatrist - but actions are what define a person. My mom _thinks_ about smacking me upside the head all the time. Does she ever do it, no.”

A wet chuckle from Pam old Harley that maybe Pam could be okay someday.


	10. One Day You Finally See Her

“Have I ever told you that you’re breathtaking?”

“Maybe a million times a week,” Pam laughed.

The green dress Pam made looked _amazing_ on her if Harley did say so herself, and although it clashed awfully with her own black and red one, she thought that nothing else would feel right for the two of them.

“How about you stop staring at me and get ready to leave. We’re going to be late to meet Bruce there.”

“No I think I’m good right here.”

“You’re such a sap you know that?”

The gym was stuffed to the brim with plants, some fake and some not. Even though Pam still thought the theme was stupid, she knew she could protect herself if she had to.”

“I don’t know why you look so nervous Pam. Jack and Silena got banned remember?” Bruce said while casually sipping his punch.

“Easy for you to say, this whole school is normally out to get me.”

Harley took her hand, “Don’t think about it too much Pam. One more night and then we never have to see them again.”

“Okay, you’re right.”

“Great! And since we never have to see them again,” Harley mockingly bowed, “May I have this dance Red?”

“Had to ruin it with the nickname didn’t you?” Pam smirked but followed where Harley led her to the dance floor.

“Shut up we both know you love it.”

Much to Pam’s delight, they received nothing except a few confused glances from other classmates, one girl even gave her a thumbs up. She was happier than she had been in a long time holding Harley as the final slow song of the night ended.”

“Okay,” the DJ said, “the last thing we have in store for tonight is the annual crowning of prom king and queen!”

A large cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Our prom king is….Bruce Wayne!” More cheering still as Bruce went up to collect his crown and stand on stage.

“And your prom queen is…..Pamela Isley!” Surprisingly, her classmates still cheered, but none louder than Harley.”

“Alright,” the DJ steered them to stand next to each other center stage, “stay right there the photographer is going to get a few photos of you.”

Pamela heard it before she felt it. A horrible sloshing sound followed by the maniacal cackling she was familiar with. Before she could even register what was going on, Bruce had her by the waist and was already nearing the steps leading off of the stage. The crowd was silent as they stared in horror at the pig’s blood in a puddle on the stage. That was meant for her. She would have been soaked if it wasn’t for Bruce. The red made its return, except it was now much darker and harsher – the red of pig’s blood.

Screams echoed through the gym.

_No, I have control over myself this time._

Ivy spread over the walls up towards the rafter of the stage.

_I control the plants, they don’t control me._

Matching yelps as ivy snared ankles.

_Time for some payback._

Selina and Jack were lowered from the rafters towards the waiting puddle of blood.

“Put us down you FREAK!” Jack shrieked.

“Gladly.”

For a moment there was silence as Selina and Jack landed, then booming laughter as they tried to pick themselves up again only to slip and fall.

“Right, everyone go home! Prom is over,” Principal Crane shouted, “and you two are coming with me.”

“You know we’ll have to thank Bruce for that awesome save at some point,” Harley said while focusing on reversing out of their parking spot.

“Yeah we will, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing him for a couple days.”

“And why is that?”  
  
“Well I scared mother so bad she decided to leave the house for god knows how long, which means,” Pam leaned over and breathed in Harley’s ear, “my parents aren’t home.”

The look on Harley’s face was comical, “Say no more, I am already driving over the speed limit.”

Pamela broke into a fit of laughter, “You know I could laugh like that for the rest of my life.”

Harley glanced at her, “I think I could make someone laugh like that for the rest of my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who stuck by me while I took a break, and thanks to those who left kind comments. Your support is what keeps me going.


End file.
